Lovely Galley readers, I missed you while I was away, but I can’t deny that I enjoyed not being plugged in constantly. I needed a break from searching and reading and though I feel guilty about it, I’m trying not to.

Many folks say they don’t make New Year’s resolutions because they don’t keep them. Well, I’m making some that I can keep. Don’t make resolutions so outlandish you could never reach them, but at the same time, there is nothing wrong with shooting for the moon. As the poster in my sixth grade classroom said, “even if you miss, you will land among the stars.”

New Year’s Resolutions for those looking for a job and freelancers (I’m doing these too!):

1) Be happy and stop feeling guilty. Be yourself, even if you were laid off. Smile, watch your favorite shows, make your favorite dinner; don’t think every waking moment needs to be devoted to your job search. All work and no play is no good, even if your work is not bringing a paycheck home every two weeks. Do not feel guilty about enjoying yourself, this will not only make you miserable, but it can hinder your job search as you become more and more resentful of your situation.

2) Stay motivated. The position you applied for has been cut, and three of your clients can’t afford you right now. It’s rough and it’s not pleasant, but you can’t let it keep you down. Wallowing and pitying yourself will get you no where. Fall and get back up as many times as it takes. Talk to those around you, visit message boards and vent in your journal when you need to get all that disappointment out. It is normal to be upset, but you still can’t let it get the best of you.

3) Do more for your search. Sending out a pitch letter every two weeks and occasionally leaving your house to go to a networking event is only putting in 50% effort. If you want to see real results, you need to get out there. Tweet 10 times a day on Twitter, attend every free webinar in your field, go to networking events and events that could be networking events (like a reading from a book that was just published about your field—the author and the participants are all potential connections).

4) Use social networks to their fullest. Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn can bring you new fans and friends, but they can also land you new assignments and score you full-time gigs. Take the time to learn what makes these platforms tick. Get started here:

This wont be the last time we talk about these resolutions. I’m going to keep you posted on how I am doing with them every few months, or if something comes up (like me falling off the wagon or reaching a new audience, whatever comes first). I want you to do the same. You don’t have to broadcast it to the world, but every month, revisit your resolutions and give yourself your own progress report.

At 8:15pm tonight, I will no longer be a student. That is the first time I can say that, in, well, about 19 years. I wrote my last two college papers (which I finished last night at 1am, obviously) and my last articles for the paper. I also gave next year’s Managing Editor the keys to both The Envoy office and the EIC and ME office–I wasn’t even as sad as I thought I’d be.

The best word I could use to describe how I feel right now is “ripe.” I really do love Hunter and all my Envoy-ers so much, but I actually feel ready to leave. I thought I would be walking down the halls with tears in my eyes and hanging on to the dirty couches of the office with all my might. Instead, today didn’t feel any different at all.

I was a bit hesitant to give up my keys though; that was huge. They have been mine for three years! It was like when you move and you finally have to hand the keys over from your home to these newbies that are moving in. But much like buying a new home, though you are sad to leave the old one that you have memories of growing up in, you are excited to get settled in the new house. The only problem is that I sold my house before I signed the deed to my new one. That’s alright though, I’m still excited to do some more house hunting and finally be able to repaint the walls will colors of my choice.